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There are many people who make donations to their favorite charity, during the Holiday season.

When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, I realized there is not much that I want or need. It made me feel really fortunate. I am so thankful for this- I am one lucky lady. Because of this I felt a deep desire to help someone in need. So this year, I decided I wanted to donate, and because I am a runner, there is nothing better to give, then my retired running shoes. So I donated them to a company I love supporting, Kind Runner.

I am a runner who has a shoe rotation.

I am a runner who retires her shoes on average around every 400 miles.

This means I end up with a huge pile of retired running shoes.

So to avoid looking like a shoe hoarder, I now donate my retired running shoes to Kind Runner.

It’s CRUNCH time! You have a little less then one week until your shopping deadline, December 25th is here. If you have a runner on your buying list. I am going to help you, by revealing my Runner’s Christmas Wish list.

There are definitely some awesome universal running gifts but there are some that are particular to certain types of runners. Don’t worry I’ll walk you through it.

Let’s start with great ideas for stocking stuffers. Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference, especially during a long run.

These little tablets help your runner refuel. They dissolve into your runner’s water with in minutes giving instant energy. Once dissolved it becomes your runner’s source of hydration, giving them everything they need from sodium to electrolytes. The brand also has an ALL DAY option with a¬†lower sodium level,¬†for those runners who want to sip on nuun all day. ¬†Nuun comes in a wide range of flavors to satisfy every runner’s taste buds, for only $6.50 a pack. This product is for all types of runners and endurance athletes.

These beans are magical beans, at least to a runner that is. They are different from nuun because they don’t dissolve in water. Instead you chew about four beans every hour, washing them down with a gulp of water. And like magic, instantly, your runner feels energized. They refuel and replace everything your runner looses while sweating during a long run.

These beans have been with me during every training run and every race from 10 miler to marathon. These beans come in a variety of different flavors. They also come with ¬†the option of caffeine or with out. I normally use the ones with out caffeine, because caffeine gives me the jitters while I run and messes up my stomach. ¬†So keep this in mind- it is important to ask your runner if they perform well on caffeine or not. These sports beans are only $1.25 a pack, that’s a pretty good price for magic.

Imagine this… Cyclists in Belgium training for the Tour de France, eating waffles as fuel on long training rides. This is how Honey Stingers Waffles were born. These waffles come in strawberry, vanilla, honey, lemon, and chocolate and the best part is they are Organic. My favorite is the honey flavor. They come in handy when you are crunched for time and need a quick bite before a run. I also like to keep them in my camelbak for a snack while on a long training run. The brand Honey Stingers also has gels and other refuel items. These waffles are $1.39 per waffle.

This may not seam like a very exciting Christmas present, but to a runner it is. Body glide is a protecting layer that can be put on any part of the skin. This helps prevent chafing and blisters. I am that runner who always misplaces her body glide. So I am always buying new ones. I don’t go on a long run or to a race with out it, and honestly can’t get enough of it.¬†Body glide has saved me from a lot of stinging, bleeding, and painful miles. It comes in a small travel size and a regular size. Depending on sized Body glide is $6.00-$10.00. This is for any runner who experience chafing and blisters, but mainly for the long distance runner.

I first discovered bondi bands at a race expo and I fell in love. They are the ultimate running accessory. It keeps your hair out of your face, stays put, and absorbs sweat. They also are very personable, coming in different colors with different fun phrases written on them. $8.00 a band, for all types of runners, male or female.

Maybe your runner is a sprinter who needs some fast pace music to get their feet speedy… Maybe your runner is an ultra marathoner who spends hours chugging long miles on the trail. Which ever it may be, all runners need some new tunes to keep them motivated and help them push through that last part of their training.

The Garming Forerunner is the heart rate, GPS, watch which takes your running to the next level. Use this watch as a tool to understand your heart rate and record your pace, distance, and cadence for all training runs and races. There is a wide variety of different Garmin Forerunners, to meet the needs of all the different types of runners out there. There is ¬†even the forerunner 310 that is for the triathlete and can record under water. ¬†Which ever Garmin you choose, know this… Garmin is the leader in the running community for GPS and Heart Rate. These watches range from $129.00 – $399.99.

Newton running is a natural barefoot running shoe that helps you mimic your stride as if you were barefoot. They are light weight, have a low heel to toe drop, but because of their unique lugs they are able to absorb shock.

I have been running in these shoes for over 18 months and ran my fall marathon in them. Their motto is Hello Better and it is so true. ¬†My running form has significantly improved, I am running faster and better. These shoes range from $119.00- $175.00.

There are a lot of different ways to stay hydrated. Some runners prefer a running belt. Others prefer a vest that holds two water bottles one on either front side. I however use a camelbak.

When running on trails, or through the city it is impossible to rely on water fountains. I always bring my camelbak for runs 10 miles or longer. My camelbak holds 2 liters of water and has additional pockets for all my other belongings. This is ideal for marathon runners, or anyone running 10 miles or more. Camelbaks range from $50.00 – $150.00, depending on the size and model of the camelbak you choose.

A runner will appreciate a high performance sock. It sounds weird, but socks do make a huge difference. I tend to get really bad blisters. But these socks are wicking and sweat absorbing. And although they may look weird, they will save your runner from blisters. These run around $12.00 and they are for all runners, even those wearing the Vibram Five Fingers.

I have been reading this magazine every month for the last 7 years. As a runner, Runner’s World is your source of information. It is for all types of runners, from the rookie to the veteran. It touches bases on all types of running from 5K to ultra marathons, revealing the most current gear from shoes to hydration packs. It has inspiring stories, tips for racing, exercises and nutrition advice. It also has a race calender to keep you updated on popular races.¬†¬†If your runner does not have this magazine, they need it. Subscribe for $19.99.

This book is by far my favorite book. It is written by ultra marathon Scott Jurek. The book tells the story of his life as an ultra marathoner, who eats a plant based diet. However, it gets a lot deeper then running, when he talks about his friends and family. My favorite part is that this book also has pages of great recipes.

This book has been out for a couple years now . It is a national best seller, so odds are that your runner may have already gotten their hands on it. However, if not this is a must read.

This book is about the epic adventure Christopher Mcdougall goes on to answer the simple question of why his foot hurts when he runs. He discovers that what we thought we knew about running was all wrong. We are born to run, barefoot. Read this book and your will not only be inspired, but all your questions about running will be answered.

If your runner has already read, Born to Run, then The Cool Impossible is the next book to read. This book will become your running coach. Teaching you how to strengthen weak areas, so you can have proper running form, and transition safely into a barefoot runner.

So there is my list of the best running gifts. However before you buy anything…

“The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other… But to be with each other.” ~ Christopher Mcdougall

I wish you the best this Holiday Season, and although, there is tons of pressure to give the best presents, in the end it is not that important. Always remember the true meaning of the Holidays is to be with each other.

“Run for 20 minutes and you’ll feel better. Run another 20 and you might feel tire. Add on 3 hours and you’ll hurt, but keep going and you’ll see and hear and smell and taste, the world with a vividness that will make your former life pale.”

– Scott Jurek

The above quote is by far one of my favorite quotes from the book, Eat and Run, by Scott Jurek. And it totally sums up the reason why I run marathons.

Today, was my first day of marathon training. I ran a short 3 mile run. I was relieved from the heat by a heavy rain.
So far it has rained a ton this summer. Hopefully it will stay mild.

“Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your heart. ” When reading these words, I have come to the conclusion that I rarely almost never let success get to my head. The problem that I have is letting failure get to my heart.

It happens more often with work stuff. Most of the time I let things go. However, because I work so closely with people, sometimes I find myself absorbing their energy, even when it is negative. I try to leave work stuff at work, but sometimes it is impossible. I began to dwell, which can be emotionally draining, and then I find myself at home exhausted. Call me sensitive, I am a pisces.

This is when a night run is necessary.¬†

After a long hard day of work, the average person finds relaxation by curling up on the couch and watching their favorite TV show. For me, I prefer to go running and on really stressful days, I like to run fast.

Running in the morning is rejuvenating. Running at night is relaxing.

It is an amazing feeling to wake up early and hit the running trail first thing in the morning. On the weekdays, you may be totally alone, just you and the running trail. On weekends, the trail may be packed with other runners, but which ever it may be, running in the morning brings this amazing energy that lasts the whole day.

However, if you are looking for relaxation, and a stress reliever, nothing is better than running in the evening…

On Sunday night, I needed to find a way to relax. After a long hard work week, I was exhausted and stressed. They were calling for thunderstorms, which made my desire to run even more. When ever it is about to rain, I always feel like, “Gosh, I gotta get out there.” It is almost like I feel this rushed urge to get my run in before the rain starts.

So that is exactly what happened. I hit the MVT. I ran a short 5K, but I went all out in a speedy sprint. I¬†know it will get hotter, so I am trying to cherish these cooler hours of the day, but it was a major sweat session, being around 80 degrees, and extremely humid. ¬†There was a slight breeze and then the sky turned dark. And the rain came.

Do you find running relaxing or rejuvenating?

Oh and if you haven’t already, don’t forget to check out kindrunner.com!

Kindrunner has been super busy over the past few weeks. Why? Because they are runners, who care so deeply about their mission. ¬†Busy trying to bring something NEW, something DIFFERENT, that the running community has yet to see.

But finally after all the hard work, kindrunner.com is ready. Products are uploaded. ¬†Videos reviewing these products, and giving expert advice has been shot. ¬†Even the warehouse has been stocked with tens of thousands of shoes.

Confident Runner Pricing ‚Äď An option presented upon checkout. This option waives the Free Return Shipping but offers the shoe at a below retail price. Free shipping of product to customer and free return shipping of donated shoes for Kindness Cash Rewards Program.

Free 3 Way Shipping ‚Äď Free shipping of your order to you, free shipping of any returns for any reason, free shipping of your donated shoes back to us for re-purposing with Soles 4 Souls or The More Foundation Group.

Kindness Cash Rewards Program ‚Äď Turns your old shoes into credit towards new ones or any product on our website. KCR are available to the customer after any footwear purchase (the idea behind this is to replace your old shoes with new ones, and keep the old ones out of the garbage, landfills, or ones closet.)

Expert Product Reviews‚Äď ¬†Check out videos on youtube¬†www.youtube.com/kindrunner. Every product kindrunner has will come with an expert product review video. These videos are done by individuals who have worked in the running industry for years. Some either as shoe reps, store owners, or expert shoe fitters. Kindrunner brings the knowledge to the comforts of your own home!

Easy 365 returns ‚Äď A customer has 365 days to return any product, so long as it is in its original packaging and in its original condition.

Kindrunner will give you a unique experience with¬†features which NO ONE else in the running community offers. A place where you can find expert advice, product reviews, shoe fitting. A place where you can donate your old shoes to someone who desperately needs them, while keeping them out of a landfill.

I have more exciting news!

Kindrunner is also offering,¬†‚ÄúFree Socks for Life,” to the¬†first 500 customers! Each time one of the first 500 customers returns and purchases a new shoe their order will ship with a free pair of socks of their choice.

This blog has a lot of purposes… but one of the ultimate reasons why it exists is so I can share information with you.

So I have a secret to share with you…

Something NEW is happening in the running community starting June 1st.

Something HUGE… and ¬†guess what? YOU can be apart of it.

We are runners. We change our shoes on average every 400 miles, some sooner if they are natural barefoot running shoes.¬†What do you do with your old running shoes?¬†Most end up in the trash and then a landfill, where it could take up to 100 years for those shoes to biodegrade.

Well this no longer has to be the case. ¬†Instead you have a better option then throwing out your old running shoes. You now have the amazing opportunity to donate them to Kindrunner.

So let me introduce you…

Kindrunner.com is scheduled to launch in the US marketplace June 1st. (Yep, that is right, you are the first to know!) It is the only place on the web where you can donate your retired running shoes, along with all the shoe packaging materials ¬†– this helps lower the running community’s impact on the environment.

Kindrunner makes it easy, by covering all shipping costs, recycling all shipping materials,¬†repurposing footwear, and donating them to Soles 4 Souls and/or¬†the More Foundation Group.¬†You receive Kindness Cash Rewards for every pair of shoes donated, and¬†your shoes find a new home with someone who desperately needs them.¬†

Kindrunner.com¬†also is your new online informative platform.¬†¬†Along with bettering the environment they want to better you, as a runner. With the¬†focus on expert shoe fitting and product guidance online, they are¬†offering the best performing and highest rated running products, including Newton,¬†Saucony, Brooks, Mizuno, Asics, Innov-8, and ¬†Pearl Izumi. Yes, thats right, they have Newtons!!

A little note from Kindrunner…

“We stretch a single carbon foot print to its maximum potential. We believe that thoughtful and educated runners all over the country will relate to our movement and want to be a Kindrunner.”

If this is you, and you want to be a Kindrunner…

Start by visiting their¬†initial homage, ¬†www.kindrunner.com¬†, and enter the”Win Free Running Shoes for a Year!” contest. ¬†If you and a running partner both register (just enter your email address and confirm it’s yours) you both are signed up to win. If either one of you is selected to win the contest both of you will win free running shoes for a whole year (three pairs each!).”